Gagosian Gallery Summer Internship: Requirements and Opportunities
The Gagosian Gallery internship program offers a unique and prestigious opportunity for individuals passionate about contemporary art to immerse themselves in the operations of one of the world's most influential galleries. With locations around the world, including New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Geneva, Rome, Athens, Hong Kong, Basel, and Gstaad, Gagosian is renowned for its influential role in shaping the art market and representing some of the most significant artists of our time. The gallery's vibrant contemporary program features the work of leading international artists. Interning at Gagosian can be an invaluable stepping stone for those aspiring to build a career in the arts.
Overview of Gagosian Gallery
Larry Gagosian opened his first gallery in Los Angeles in 1980, specializing in modern and contemporary art. Over the past three decades, Gagosian has evolved into a global network with nineteen exhibition spaces. The gallery also publishes scholarly exhibition catalogs and artist monographs, as well as catalogs raisonnés. Since 2012, an innovative and engaging magazine on the gallery’s art and artists has been published four times per year.
Internship Opportunities at Gagosian
Gagosian offers internships in various departments, including curatorial, sales, marketing, communications, and operations. These internships are typically offered for a specific duration, ranging from a few months to a year, depending on the department and the specific internship program. The Gagosian internship program has been designed to be an inclusive and development focused experience, to enable candidates to learn essential business skills, build industry knowledge, grow their professional network and to develop specific art related interests, with the guidance and support from experienced Gagosian colleagues. Gagosian believes that their interns are integral to the functioning of the gallery.
Curatorial Department
In the curatorial department, interns may assist with researching artists and exhibitions, organizing artworks, preparing exhibition materials, and attending meetings with artists and curators.
Sales Department
In the sales department, interns may work closely with gallery directors and sales representatives, assisting with client relations, conducting market research, and preparing sales materials.
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Marketing and Communications
Interns may contribute to writing articles, conducting interviews, and managing the gallery’s online presence.
Operations Department
Interns in the operations department may gain insights into the logistical aspects of running a gallery, including art handling, shipping, installation, and general administration.
Library Internship at Gagosian
Gagosian occasionally seeks a library intern. For example, Gagosian sought a current library student to serve as a library intern at its Madison Avenue gallery during the Summer of 2019. Recent graduates were also encouraged to apply. The successful candidate primarily cataloged books according to in-house standards, managed inventory of auction catalogs, and maintained an orderly library. The intern may also have assisted with special projects and general intern tasks as needed. Candidates were expected to be organized, analytical, reliable, and able to work independently. A background in modern and contemporary art was desirable, though not required. Applicants were expected to be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a library or information science program. This was a paid internship and would have been under the direct supervision of the gallery Librarian. The internship may be taken for course credit if necessary.
Requirements and Qualifications
A Gagosian internship is highly competitive, and the gallery seeks candidates with a genuine passion for contemporary art, a strong work ethic, and a desire to learn and contribute to the art world. Successful applicants often possess a background in art history, arts administration, fine arts, or related fields.
General Requirements:
- A strong desire to pursue a career in the art world.
- Flexibility, attention to detail, and a desire to learn are essential.
Specific Skills and Abilities:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (for PC) and Google Docs.
- Proficiency in other languages is advantageous, but not necessary.
How to Apply
Gagosian is an equal opportunities employer, committed to ensuring that all current and prospective employees are afforded equal opportunity. They are looking to hire a diverse range of professionals eager to engage with their program and their daily operations. Applications are often submitted online. Walk-ins or phone inquiries are generally not accepted for internship positions. The successful candidate must have permission to work in the country where the internship is located by the start of their employment.
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For the Summer 2019 Library Internship, applicants were asked to use the subject line “Gagosian Summer 2019 Library Internship Applicant” to ensure their application was received.
Applicants for internships with the France-Stanford Center should submit the following documents:
- Application form
- Itemized budget
- Letter to be addressed to the France-Stanford Center Director describing your interests and why you are applying for the position. Please explain the nature of your background and skills. Where and how did you acquire the relevant training? Are there particular courses you took, particular research projects you pursued, etc.?
Intern Experiences
Léo Zhang, a student in the Arts Administration program, described his summer internship as a Library and Research Intern at Gagosian Gallery as an enriching experience that exposed him to a deeper level of the contemporary art world. He split his time between the uptown location at 980 Madison and the Chelsea office, where he assisted in various projects. Daily, he assisted in cataloging and archival work where he input important documents and publications into the digital system. He worked with the librarians uptown and the archivist in the Chelsea location and developed a workflow and understanding of how gallery archives operate.
Benefits of a Gagosian Internship
Beyond the immediate benefits of gaining industry experience and networking opportunities, a Gagosian internship can have a significant impact on one’s future career prospects. Supervisors meet with interns daily, managing their tasks and setting learning objectives. The mentor works in a different department, offering wider support by sharing career knowledge and answering any broader questions about the gallery and/or industry. Attention will be paid to an individual’s interest in a particular field, and efforts will be made to facilitate these where possible. Supervisors will tailor the intern’s development plan by assigning specific learning objectives that will reflect and benefit this. These will be achieved through larger research-based projects that will be presented to other members of staff in their final weeks in the gallery. Professional networking will be encouraged through regular interaction with gallery directors, hosting local gallery intern events, attendance of exhibition openings (both gallery and institutional) and global intern networking opportunities. Provision to develop skills in Photoshop, Artnet and Google Sketch up. Following the programme, interns can sign up to tailored communications about special gallery events and networking opportunities for the internship alumni.
Funding Opportunities
Funding may be available for internships. For example, up to $7,500 has been offered. Grant recipients may be required to submit a report within two weeks after their return. Recipients for this internship must be enrolled at Stanford the quarter following the completion of the project for which they received funding. Thus, students who wish to pursue a fellowship the summer after their senior year may do so, but only if they apply for and receive permission from the University Registrar to enroll for a “graduation quarter” for the summer quarter.
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